Carriage-feeding mechanism for type-writers.



H. A. FOOTHORAP.

CARRIAGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I4, 1914.

Patented Oct 31,1916.

SSHEETS-SHEET 1.

a. A. FOOTHORAP'. CARRIAGE FEEDING MECHANISM. fOR TYPE WRITERS.

' APPLICATION-min mac. l4. I914. 1,203.519.

Patented Oct 31,1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2 E iv H. A. FOOTHORAP.

CARRIAGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. H. 19H. 1,203,519. Patented Oct. 31,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. A. FOOTHORAP.

CARRIAGE FEEDINGMECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION mzb 020.14, 1914-. 1,203,519. Patented Oct-31,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, H. A. FOOTHDRAP. CARRIAGE FEEDING MECHANISM F.0R TYPE WRITERS.

' APPLICATION HLED DEC-14,1914.

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

If II.

mr NORRIS pm" :11. Pnom-Lrma, wlsnmc rou, vv c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ARTHUR FOOTHORAP, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CARRIAGE-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed December 14, 1914. Serial No; 877,211.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY ARTHUR FOOTHORAI, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylva nia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Feeding Mechanism for Type-Writers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriage feeding mechanism for typewriting machines and more particularly to an escapement mechanism and operating means therefor adapted for use in a typewriter of the downwardly acting or fiat platen type, the present disclosure being made in connection with what is known to commerce as the Elliott-Fisher billing machine.

An important object of the invention is to devise an escapement of maximum accuracy and durability, two conditions which are highly essential in typewriting machines which are equipped with adding mechanism requiring accurate movement of the carriage to successive denominational positions of the adding mechanism.

. Another object is to secure a snappy, impulsive escapement capable of adjustment to secure afine let-01f and in which both escapement dogs coact with the same tooth of the escapement element so that the action of the escapement will not be subject to inaccuracy in cutting the escapement teeth which is an objectionable feature of escapement in which the dogs coact with different teeth.

Another object is to minimize the carriage travel incident to what is known as the drop of the escapement which is that slight movement of the escapement element which takes place immediately upon the release of the escapement element from the holding dog to prevent said holding dog from reengaging the same tooth, or conversely stated, to compel the holding dog to engage the next succeeding tooth of the escapement element asthe key arises and the dogs move back to normal position.

Another object is to provide means facilitating the adjustment of the escapement for different speeds of operation and to simplify and improve the means whereby the escapement is operated from a spacing key.

To the accomplishment of the objects stated and others subordinate thereto, the preferred embodiment of the invention resides in the construction to be hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the carriage feeding mechanism with certain of the operating parts omitted. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a part of the escapement wheel and the escapement dogs, the parts being shown in the positions'they assume the instant before the holding dog releases the engaged tooth. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the escapement mechanism partly broken away and with the key lever and operating parts turned to an abnormal position to facilitate illustration, the escapement dogs being shown in the positions they occupy after complete reversal. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the dogs shifted by the depression of the spacing key. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the subject matter of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view of the escapement operated by the release key, the latter being shown turned to an abnormal position. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the mounting of the spacing dog and the dog actuator. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the escapement with the parts in section. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the escapement wheel and its mounting. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the escapement brackets. Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the interior of the carriage to disclose the relation of type keys and spacing keys to the escapement. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the holding dog. Fig. 13 is a similar view of the spacing dog. Fig. 14 is a detail view showing the adjustable connection between the holding dog and its operating link, and Fig. 15 is a detail view of the mounting of the spacing dog and its connection with the link.

1 indicates the carriage deck of an Elliott- Fisher machine to the under side of which, adjacent to its rear edge, are secured, in any suitable manner, front and rear escapement brackets 2 and 3 which depend in parallel relation and support the various elements of the escapement mechanism. Extended between these brackets is a short escapement shaft 4 which supports the carriage feed pinion 5, escapement wheel 6 and the back space ratchet 7 united in rigid organization and rotatable together on the shaft. The

pinion 5 meshes with the teeth of a carriage teed rack 8 fixedly carried at the rear of the line space frame (not shown) of the 1nachine. As is well understood in the art, the carriage of which the deck 1 is a part, travels on the line space frame in the direction of letter spacing and it will, therefore, be evident that the feed pinion 5 must rotate as the carriage advances or retracts and with it, of course, must move the escapement wheel 6 and the back space ratchet 7.

The carriage, as is usual in typewriting machines, is under tension and has a normal tendency to travel in the direction of letter spacing. This tendency is opposed and controlled by two escapement dogs, mown as the holding dog 9 and the spacing dog 10. These dogs are swung from screws 11 screwed into horizontal projections 12 and 13 of the front bracket 2. The holding dog 9 is normally in engagement with a tooth of the cscapement wheel 6, as shown. in Fig. 1 and is formed with a tail piece 14 connected by a link 15 with the tail piece 16 of the spacing dog 10. It is designed to tacilitate the setting or adjusting of the dogs relative to each other and this end is obtained by providing an eccentric connection 17 between the upper end of the link 15 and the tail piece of the dog 9, whereby the axis of such connection may be adjusted toward or from the axis of the dog. The connection between the lever 15 and the spacing dog 10 is a slot and pin connection, the slot 18 being formed in the link to permit movement of the holding dog out of engagement with the escapement wheel and independently of the spacing dog by the operation of the carriage release mechanism which includes, see Fig. 6, a lever 19 fulcrumed in a hanger 20 carried by the deck 1. The lever 19 extends across the back of the carriage and one end 21 is deflected to engage, under the tail piece 1% of the holding dog, while the opposite end is connected through a push rod 22 with the carriage release arm 23 in ving at one end a carriage release key 2st and tulcrunied at its opposite end on the fulcrum bar which is common to all of the key levers. Obviously, the depression of the release key 2& will swing the lever 19 through the medium of the push rod 22 and the elevation of the opposite end of said lever will, by engagement with the tail piece 1%, swing the holding dog out of engagement with the escapement wheel, as shown in Fig. 6, and permit the carriage to escape or move freely under the impulse of its propelling mechanism.

The spacing dog 10 is normally out of engagement with the spacing wheel and, as usual, the operation of a key of the typewriter to print is designed to shift the dogs 9 and 10 in opposite directions to cause the release of the escapement wheel by the dog 9 and its engagement with the dog 10. The tail piece 16 is therefore connected to the lower end of the draw wire 26, the upper end of which engages the vertically slotted rear end 27 of an arm 28 extending rear- 7' wardly from the universal rocker 29 atforded bearings in the carriage casing (not shown). The rocker 29 is equipped with two forwardly extending arms 30 located adjacent to opposite sides of the machine 7 and from which are suspended the hangers 31 of the universal bar 32. The bar 32 underlies all of the key levers 33 which are mounted on the fulcrum bar 2-5 and are pro vided with adjustable abutments in the 89 form of abutment screws 3% which engage and depress the universal bar 32 when the key is pushed down.

\Vhen a key is depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, the universal bar 32 is carried with 8 it and the rocker 29 is rocked to elevate the draw wire '26 and swing the spacing dog 10 toward its engaging position. This movement of the spacing dog moves the link 15 longitudinally which swings the holding 90 dog 9 out of engagement with the adjacent tooth which is engaged instead by the spacing dog 10. The engagement of the tooth by the holding dog does not occur, however, until after the esca'pement wheel has been released and has rotated slightly. This slight rotation produces what is known as the repulser eiiect since it is terminated by the impact of the released tooth against the nose of the spacing dog and this impact tends to swing back the spacing dog and to elevate the key. Primarily, however, the purpose of this interval of time and movement between the release of the escapement wheel by the dog 9 and its engagement with the dog 10 is to insure the engagement of the dog 9 with the next succeeding tooth when the reverse action of the escapement is effected upon the release of the key. This end is attained with certainty because, when the wheel makes the slight movement referred to, the nose of the dog 9 will be presented to the outer face of the tooth thus absolutely preventing the return 01": the holding dog to its normal holding position until after the previously engaged tooth has passed on beyond the end of the dog.

In Fig. 2 the escapement parts are shown in the positions they occupy at the instant of release and before the wheel has advanced into engagement with the spacing dog, while in Fig. 3 the parts are shown as they appear when the spacing dog has been engaged and the released tooth has moved sufficiently to present the dog to its end face. Upon the release of the key, the parts are all returned to normal position, this retractile operation being aided by a dog retracting spring 85 secured to the dogs at the oppoeighth of the slight peripheral movement of spacing dog away from the wheel.

site sides of their axes and tending to urge the dogs in opposite directions. That is to say, the spring 35 tends to swing the holding dog toward the wheel and to swing the In rapid operation there is no appreciable interval of time between the engagement of the wheel with the spacing dog and the release of the key. Both of these operations are accomplished practically simultaneously at the end of the key stroke and therefore the same movement of the wheel which presents it to the spacing dog continues and assists in throwin the dog back and thus rendering the actlon impulsive, as heretofore explained.

The repulser effect, above described, is augmented by the comparatively large diameter of the escapement wheel 6, the peripheral speed of. which is considerably more than ordinary. The primary purpose, however, of making the escapement wheel somewhat larger than ordinary, is to enable various elements of the escapement to be made on a large, substantial or durable scale and to minimize the carriage movement which necessarily accompanies the slight movement of the escapement wheel which presents the tooth to the spacing dog after the release of the wheel by the holding dog.

Attention is directed to the fact that, while the escapement wheel is comparatively large, the carriage feed pinion 5 is comparatively small. The circumferential relation is approximately four to one and, as is well understood, the actual advance of the carriage is equal to the axial advance of the pinion 5 which is only one-half of the peripheral advance of said pinion. consequence of these proportions, therefore, the actual carriage movement upon the release of the escapement wheel from the holding dog will be approximately onethe escapement wheel which is necessary to present a disengaged tooth to the spacing dog and to present the end face of said ,tooth to the nose of the holding dog.

In ordinary typewriting constructions, it is comparatively easy to get a pronounced repulser effect and snappy action because'a considerable split of the feed is not objectionable and considerable movement of the escapement wheel may be allowed to secure a repulser impact on the spacing dog. Where adding mechanism is employed, on the contrary, and the carriage movement controls the denominational spacing of the coacting elements of the adder, a split feed is distinctly objectionable and it has been my purpose to devise an escapement which, while necessitating an almost imperceptible movement of the carriage upon the shifting of the dogs, will develop a material repulser As a effect on the key. and give a good snappy action conducive both to high speed and accurate operation. These ends I have obtained by the described relation and proportion of the parts.

The inward or engaging movement of the holding dog 9 is limited by an adjustable stop pin 36 extended eccentrically from a post 37 secured to the rear bracket 3 by a screw 38, the slotted head of the latter being accessible from the outer side of the bracket. The pin 36 extends eccentrically fromthe post and is adjusted laterally by a slight rotary movement of the latter. The pin 36 coacts with the dog 9 above the pivot of the latter, said dog being preferably pro vided with a stop extension or arm 39 for this purpose. The escapement is also designed to be operated from the space bar 40. The bar 40 is mounted at the front end of the spacing yoke 41, swung from a. shaft a2, extending across the carriage and has a rearwardly extending arm 43 connected by a draw wire 44 to the upper end of a dog actuator 45. The actuator 45 is in the form of a plate mounted immediately in advance of the spacing dog and having a comparatively large longitudinal slot 46 which accommodates the projection 13 which serves as a guide for the actuator 45 in its movement. The lower end of the actuator is connected by a link 47 to the front bracket 2 and is provided at its upper end with a projection 48 designed to coact with an arm 49 extended upwardly from the dog 10 above the axis of the latter and inclined slightly to the right (viewed from the rear) in the normal position of the dog, see Fig. 1. When the space bar 40 is depressed, the dog actuator 45 will be elevated but will have a compound sliding and swinging motion due to the fact that as it rises, its lower end must describe an are defined by the movement of the link 47, the projection 13 serving both as a fixed axis for the necessary swinging movement of the actuator and as a fixed guide for the longitudinal or sliding movement thereof. Thus the pin 48, carried by the actuator 45 at its upper end, will rise along the base of the inclined or cam arm 49 of the spacing dog and will also move laterally toward the escapement wheel. The result will be the swinging of the spacing arm toward its engaging position and the consequent swinging of the holding dog 9 toward its disengaging position. In other words, the described mechanism is simply another means additional to the universal bar for effecting a normal op eration of the escapement, the action of the escapement, except as to the means for moving the spacing dog, being precisely as already described in connection with the operation of the dogs by the universal bar. A distinct repulser eifect on the space bar is also secured, inasmuch the backward movement of the spacing dog, when engaged by the escapement wheel, will be imparted to the space bar through the engagement of the cam arm 49 and pin l8 which will tend to return the actuator 45 to normal position.

The parts are so adjusted that when the let-off of the escapement occurs, the released tooth of the escapement wheel moves up into engagement with the spacing dog 10 and the type is still 1%; inches from the surface of the platen. After the tooth has engaged the spacing dog continued depression of the key completes the movement of the type to the platen and causes the escapement to be moved backward until the holding dog overlaps the end of the escapement tooth just released by it, about 1/64; of an inch. It will be understood, of course, that the movement of the carriage is onefourth of the peripherial movement of the escapement wheel, either forward or back so that the movement of the carriage incidental to the movement of the escapement wheel both forward and back at or imme diately prior to the actual contact of the type with the paper is slight.

It is thought that from the foregoing, the construction, operation and advantages of my carriage feeding mechanism will be clearly apparent but I reserve the right to effect such modifications thereof as may fall within the scope of the invention.

IVhat I claim is 1. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed element under tension, of holding dog and a spacing dog movable in opposite directions to release and arrest the toothed element by engagement with the same tooth thereof, a stationary part upon which the said dogs are independently mounted, a connection whereby one dog operates the other, and means for operating one dog independently of the other.

2. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement element under tension, of a holding dog and a spacing dog disposed substantially in rightangular relationand both adapted to coact with the same tooth of the toothed element, tail pieces extending from the respective dogs, and a link having pivotal connection with the tail piece of one dog and a slot and pin connection with the tail piece of the other dog.

3. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel under tension, of a holding dog engaging the tooth of the wheel and disposed tangentially of the wheel to sustain the thrust longitudinally, of a spacing dog coacting with the same tooth of the escapement wheel and disposed substantially radial to said whee], an operative connection between the dogs and a key connected to the spacing dog to operate the same and repulsed by the swinging of the escapement dog under the impulse of the escapement wheel.

a. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of a vertically disposed holding dog, and a horizontally disposed escapement dog both coacting with the same tooth of the wheel and pivoted to swing into and out of engagement therewith, a link connecting said dogs and a key connected to the spacing dog.

5. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of holding and spacing dogs disposed vertically and horizontally respectively, and both coacting with the same tooth of the escapement, tail pieces extended from the dogs, a connection between said tail pieces, said connection compelling the movement of the holding dog when the spacing dog is operated and permitting independent operation of the holding dog, keys for operating the spacing dog and releas ng mechanism for operating the holding dog independently of the spacing dog. i

6. In a'carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of holding and spacing dogs coacting with the same tooth of said wheel, a connection between said dogs, means for adjusting said connection toward and from the axis of the holding dog to regulate the throw of the latter and means for operating the dogs.

7. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of holding and spacing dogs, an adjustable stop limiting the movement of the dogs in one direction, a link pivotally con nected to the respective dogs, means for adjusting the holding dog connection of said link toward and from the axis of the holding dog, and means for operating the dogs.

8. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of a substantially vertical holding dog, a substantially horizontal spacing dog, both of said dogs having tail pieces, a link pivotally connected to the tail piece of the holding dog, means for ad uSting said connection toward or from the axis of said dog, a pin extending from the tail piece of the spacing dog and engaging a longitudinal slot in the link, keys connected to the tail piece of the spacing dog to elevate the same and to withdraw the holding dog through the medium of the link, a release mechanism engaging the tail piece of the holding dog to swing the same independently of the spacing dog and an adjustable stop for the holding dog.

9, In axearriage feeding mechanism, the

combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of a substantially vertical holding dog, a substantially horizontal. spacing dog, both of said dogs having tail pieces, a link pivotally connected to the tail piece of the holding dog, means for adjusting said connection toward or from the axis of said dog, a pin extending from the tail piece of the spacing dog and engaging a longitudinal slot in the link, keys connected to the tail piece of the spacing dog to elevate the same and to withdraw the holding dog through the medium of the link, a release mechanism engaging the tail piece of the holding dog to swing the same independently of the spacing dog, an adjustable stop for the holding dog, and a retracting spring spacing common to both dogs.

10. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of connected holding and spacing dogs coacting with the same tooth of said wheel, keys for operating said dogs, a space bar, and a dog actuator operated by the space bar and engaging the spacing dog to swing the same. i

11. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the,

combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of a holding dog and a spacing dog engaging the same tooth of said wheel, keys for operating said dogs, a space bar and a camming device operated by the space bar to swing the spacing dog, and a connection between the dogs.

12. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of holding and spacing dogs operatively connected and dog operating means including an actuator having a combined sliding and swinging motion and coacting directly with the spacing dog.

13. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of holding and spacing dogs coacting therewith, said spacing dog having an arm extended therefrom, a dog actuator having a projection engaging the arm to cam the spacing dog toward the wheel and means for moving the dog actuator.

14. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a bracket having projections, of a toothed escapement wheel, dogs mounted on the projections of the bracket and operatively connected, one of said dogs having a cam arm, a dog actuator guided by one of the projections and having a pin on: gaging the cam arm of the dog and means for moving the actuator.

15. In a carriage feeding mechanism, the combination with a bracket, of a toothed escapement wheel and cooperating holding and spacing dogs carried by the bracket, said spacing dog having cam arm, a projection on the bracket, a dog actuator having a longitudinal slot intermediate of its ends to receive the projection, a pin projecting from one end of the actuator and engaging the cam arm of the spacing dog, a link connecting the opposite end of the actuator with the bracket and a space bar connected tothe actuator to move the same to cam the spacing dog. toward the wheel.

16. In a carriage feed mechanism the combination with a toothed escapement wheel, of a fixed bracket, a holding dog and a spac ing dog pivotally mounted on the bracket at different points and disposed to engage the same tooth of the escapement wheel, a connection between said dogs compelling the movement of the holding dog when the spacing dog is operated but permitting independent movement of the holding dog, keys for operating the spacing dog and a separate key for operating the holding dog.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY ARTHUR FOOTHORAP.

Witnesses:

W. J. EVERT, EDWIN FLoYD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. e 

